Generally, this type of apparatus is widely known as an apparatus that forms an image such as a photograph of face and character information on a medium such as a plastic card. In this case, known are an apparatus configuration for directly forming an image on a recording medium and another apparatus configuration for forming an image on a transfer film and transferring the image to a recording medium.
In the case of the latter apparatus configuration, it is necessary to peel off the transfer film from the recording medium after transferring the image formed on the transfer film to the recording medium.
At this point, depending on the type of transfer film, unless the transfer film is peeled off from the recording medium in a state in which the transfer film is warm, there is the risk that a transfer failure occurs. In this case, when the recording medium is cold, heat of the transfer film is lowered, the transfer failure occurs, and therefore, it is necessary to preheat the recording medium before transfer processing.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a thermal transfer printer (direct printer) for forming characters and/or image on recording paper using an ink ribbon is provided with a preheating mechanism for heating recording paper on the upstream side of a printing section. It is described that according to this configuration, by preheating the recording paper, it is possible to obtain effects of long life of a thermal head and ink ribbon and improvements in thermal efficiency.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a heat roll is provided with a cover member in an intermediate transfer printer and the cover member covers the heat roll except transfer processing. It is described that according to this configuration, it is possible to obtain effects that a dyeing film (intermediate transfer film) existing always near the heat roll is not deformed by heat, it is thereby possible to prevent image quality from degrading, and that the apparatus is high in safety without exposing the heat roll heated to high temperatures in replacing the dyeing film.